Applicator for bag closures

ABSTRACT

Bag closures in strip form so that adjacent bag closures are joined by two links therebetween, are fed through an applicator seriatim, and are applied one at a time around a gathered neck of the bag as it is drawn across the upper face of the applicator. The applicator has a restricting motion relative to its support; means are provided to restrict movements of the strip of bag closures as the body of the applicator moves downwards; other means are provided to cut one of the links between the leading and next adjacent bag closure in the strip in the applicator as near its lower limit of motion; and other means are provided to secure the bag closures within the applicator as it moves upwards, thereby advancing the strip of bag closures through the applicator seriatim.

Inventors John Christie Gunyou Toronto, Ontario;

Stanley Albert Charles Browning, Glen Williams, Ontario, Canada Feb. 27, 1969 May 25, 1971 Hybrid Turkeys Limited Brampton, Ontario, Canada Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee APPLICATOR FOR BAG CLOSURES 8 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 53/138, 53/305 Int. Cl B65b 7/06 Field of Search 53/38, 305, 390, 138 (A) References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,021,654 2/1962 Harris 53/138(A) 3,163,972 l/l965 Irwin 53/138(A) 3,370,396 2/1968 Paxton etal.... 53/138(A) 3,163,970 1/1965 Paxton 53/138(A)X Primary Examiner-Theron E. Condon Assistant ExaminerHorace M. Culver Att0rneyNeill M. S. Johnston ABSTRACT: Bag closures in strip form so that adjacent bag closures are joined by two links therebetween, are fed through an applicator seriatim, and are applied one at a time around a gathered neck of the bag as it is drawn across the upper face of the applicator. The applicator has a restricting motion relative to its support; means are provided to restrict movements of the strip of bag closures as the body of the applicator moves downwards; other means are provided to cut one of the links between the leading and next adjacent bag closure in the strip in the applicator as near its lower limit of motion; and other means are provided to secure the bag closures within the applicator as it moves upwards, thereby advancing the strip of bag closures through the applicator seriatirn.

PATENTEU was IHYI 3; 579,955

I N VENTOR. JOHN.C. GUNYOU. BYSTANLEY A.C. BROWNING. 1 f o vgm 2).

APPLICATOR FOR BAG CLOSURES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an applicator for bag closures. In particular, the invention relates to an applicator for placing bag closures on the gathered necks of bags where the bags are manually brought into working relationship with the applicator; and where the bag closures are fed seriatim in strip form into the applicator for removal, one at a time, when applied to bags.

The bag closures which the applicator of the present invention is specifically adapted to use and to apply to bags are such as are taught in Canadian Pat. No. 738,149 issued July 12, 1966; US. Pat. 3,264,698 issued Aug. 9, 1966; British Pat. No. 1,077,176 published Apr. 2 l, 1965, and related patents in other countries of the world. For use in the applicator, the bag closures are manufactured in strip form as is discussed in greater detail hereafter.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a purpose of this invention to provide an applicator for bag closures which will apply a bag closure to the gathered neck of a bag when the bag is manually brought into working relationship with the applicator in such a manner that the operator who is handling the bag needs to take only one continuous motion of the bag across the applicator, after which motion the bag closure is securely placed on the neck of the bag.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an applicator for bag closures which has a positive indexing and feed mechanism whereby only one bag closure at a time is presented for application to a bag, and in which a simplicity and economy of moving parts is realized.

A further object of this invention is to provide a method of applying bag closures to bags, with machine application.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more evident hereafter in the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, taken in association with the drawings in which:

FIG. I is a perspective view of the applicator as it is ready for use;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the applicator taken in the direction of arrows 2 through the center of the applicator as it is in the same status as shown in FIG. I; and

FIG. 3 is a view taken as in FIG. 2 except that the applicator is shown in the trip-point part of the operative cycle thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The applicator shown generally at is arranged in this embodiment so as to have mating halves l2 and I4, and is supported by a base having two upright support standards 16 and 18 between which a strip of bag closures, generally indicated at 20, moves in the direction as indicated by arrow 23. Springs 25 and 26 extend from beneath the applicator 10 to the standards l6 and 18 as is discussed in greater detail hereafter.

As indicated previously, the applicator of this invention is primarily intended and adapted to apply bag closures of the type described in the aforementioned patents when the bag closures are in strip form as illustrated. Each bag closure 20 basically comprises a tab end 22 and a loop end portion 24 having a central, bag-retaining opening 26 to which access is obtained through slit 28 from a bag-receiving mouth 29. The bag closures 20 are connected each to the other in serial or strip form by links 30 and 32. Each link 32 is defined at its outer edge by a notch 34 as is discussed hereafter.

Basically, the operation of the applicator for bag closures of this invention is a reciprocal, up-and-down action, and is controlled by the operator. The bag closures are intended for application usually to pliable, polyethylene or other suitable plastic bags, which bags may have each therein a loaf of bread,

small machine parts, granulated or powdered products such as coffee or laundry detergent, etc. Each bag as it is used with the applicator of this invention is such as to have a sufiicient length of neck extending beyond the product which it encloses, so that the neck of the bag can be grasped by the operator and gathered in such a manner that the bag closure can be placed thereover. The bag closures 20 are made of such material as sheet polystyrene, polypropylene, polyethylene or other suitable materials, andare somewhat resilient so that the gathered neck of a bag can be easily forced through slot 28 from bag receiving mouth 29 into the bag retaining opening 26 of the bag closure, with the result that the bag closure surrounds the gathered neck of the bag thereby closing the same.

To apply a bag closure to a bag with the applicator of this invention, therefore, the operator grasps the gathered neck of the bag and strikes downwardly across the upper face 36 of the body of the applicator in the area generally designated at 34. The downward motion of the gathered neck of the bag across the upper face 36 causes the applicator to move downwardly towards the support standards 16 and 18 as is discussed more fully hereafter.

At the same time, the operator sweeps the gathered neck of the bag across the upper face 36 of the applicator in a direction laterally downwardly towards corner 38. Obviously, for ease of operation and handling, the operator is positioned near the end of the applicator 10 over standard 16. As the gathered neck of a bag is swept downwardly from position 34 to comer 38 across the upper face 36 of the applicator, and at the same time theapplicator has moved downwardly towards the standards 16 and 18 supporting it, a bag closure 20 is applied to the neck of the bag; and upon removal of the bag away from operative relationship with the applicator 10, the applicator moves upwardly to its rest position as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The specific structure and operation of the applicator 10 is now described. It will be noted that the applicator 10 is supported above the support standards 16 and 18 by springs 25 and 26. (Except as noted hereafter, the spacing of the applicator 10 above the standards 16 and 18 is immaterial, which fact is noted by the break lines 40 and 42 in springs 24 and 26 respectively.) Springs-25 and 26 surround posts 44 and 46 which are rigidly fitted to the standards 16 and 18 respectively, and which extend into the interior of the applicator 10. The applicator 10 is supported on posts 44 and 46 by collars 48 and 50 fitting within suitable sockets 53 and 55. Collars 48 and 50 are loosely fitted over posts 44 and 46 so as to allow relative motion between each collar and post respectively.

ltwill be noted that post 44 is fitted within a channel 52 in the interior of the applicator 10 and has a swingable dog 54 at its upper end. The dog 54.is hinged around pin 56 and is adapted to swing upwardly to assume a position as shown at 58 in FIG. 2 and as discussed hereafter. The dog 54 is not adapted to swing in a clockwise direction around pin 56 as viewed in FIGS. 2 or 3. For convenience, the right-hand interior portion of the shell half 12 of applicator 10 as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 3 may be routed out as at 60. However, lands 62 and 64 remain so as to define a channel within which relative motion between post 46 and the applicator 10 may be achieved. The upper end 66 of post 46 is half-cylindrical, or in any event, of lesser thickness in a direction as viewed looking into the paper of FIGS. 2 and 3 for a purpose discussed hereafter.

The bag closures 20 move in a channel 68 defined' by ridges 70 and 72, and the depth of the channel 68 when the applicator is assembled as shown in FIG. I is-such as to accommodate with minimal clearance the thickness of the stripof bag closures. A slot 74 may be formed in either or both of the shell halves l2 and 14 of the applicator 10 so as to provide access from the exterior of the applicator to at least a portion of the bag closures 20 in the event that a jam may occur or a faulty bag closure enters the machine, all as discussed hereafter.

A lug 76 having a trip lever 78 mounted thereon by bolts 80 or other suitable means is mounted in the portion 60'of the shell half 12 of applicator towards the upper center thereof near post 46. The lug 76 is swingable about pin 84, and has a cutter 86 mounted by screw means or other convenient means at the lower comer thereof. The lug 76 is generally triangular in shape. Spring 90 extends from the bottom edge of the lug through a slot 94 and is fixed at its lower end 96. A pin 98 is provided so as to accommodate the bending action of the spring 90 as discussed hereafter.

A pin 100 is placed in the upper end of post 46 in a position so as to strike the trip lever 78. Extending sideways from the post 46 is another pin 102 which provides stop means limiting the upward motion of the applicator 10 away from the standards 16 and 18, and thereby determining the rest position spacing of the applicator from the standards, through the interaction of the pin 102 with stud 104.

A dog 106 is swingably mounted over pin 108 and has a generally rounded nose 110 extending through an opening between ridges 70. The dog 106 has a compression spring 112 between its upper edge and land 114.

A sawtooth edge 116 is mounted slightly below the upper face 36 near comer 38 of the shell half 12.

At its rest position, and ready for operation, the applicator 10 is as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In this position, it will be noted that the uppermost bag closure 20a is beneath the upper face 36 with the outer extremity of the loop end 24 in close proximity to the land 72. In the same position, nose 110 of dog 106 extends through the gap in ridges 70 and into the notch 34 between bag closures 20b and 200. Also, the lug 76 is held by spring 90 so that cutter 86 does not quite extend into the groove 118 which is formed to have a depth sufficient to accommodate the cutter 86 as is discussed hereafter.

Upon pressure being applied downwardly against the applicator 10 by the operator in the area designated at 34 by placing the gathered neck of a bag thereat, the applicator 10 moves downwardly so as to compress springs 25 and 26. It will be noted that posts 44 and 46 are rigid, and a relative motion upwardly by the posts into the applicator 10 is thereby achieved. During the first portion of the downward motion of the applicator, the nose 110 of dog 106 is forced out of cooperating relationship with the groove 34, and the dog 54 strikes the end portion of the bag closure 20b. As the downward motion of the body of the applicator 10 continues, the bag closures remain stationary relative to posts 44 and 46 so that the bag closure 20a then begins to extend upwardly through the groove 120 formed in the upper face 36, between the shell halves 12 and 14. At the same time, the pin 100 in the upper end of post 46 strikes the trip lever 78 on lug 76 and forces the lug to swing counterclockwise (as viewed in FIG. 2) about pin 84 until it reaches a position as shown in FIG. 3.

It will be noted that the relative positions of lug 76, dog 106 and the posts 44 and 46 illustrated in FIG. 3 are precisely at the trip point during the operative cycle of the applicator 10. Thus, at that point, pin 100 in post 46 has slipped slightly beyond the trip lever 78, nose 110 of dog 106 is about to be forced into groove 34 between bag closures 20c and 20d, and bag closure 20a is extending well beyond the upper face 36 at least at its loop end 24.

As soon as the body of the applicator 10 arrives at the position illustrated in FIG. 3, therefore, it is obvious that the lug 76 is going to swing downwardly that is clockwise about pin 84 with sufficient momentum that the cutter 86 extends beyond the ridge 70 into slot 118 and cuts the link 32 between bag closures 20a and 20b. Immediately thereafter, the lug 76 is drawn to its rest position by spring 90. At the same time, nose 110 of dog 106 engages groove 34 between bag closures 20c and 20d; and simultaneously therewith since the action is virtually instantaneous the bag being drawn across upper face 36 enters the bag-receiving opening 26 of the bag closure 200. Since the operator is moving the bag down upper face 36 towards comer 38, the bag closure 20a revolves outwardly from the groove 120 in a manner so that the tab end 22 thereof moves upwardly in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 3. Shortly thereafter, the outer edge of the loop end 24 of bag closure 20a contacts the sawtooth 116, and a further rotating motion in a counter clockwise fashion is imparted to the bag closure 20a. The link 30 between bag closures 20a and 20b is snapped and broken, and the bag closure 20a is clear of the applicator 10 and properly applied to the gathered neck of the bag.

As soon as the bag is drawn across the upper face 36 and clear from comer 38, the applicator l0 begins to move upwardly away from support standards 16 and 18 because of the spring force of springs 25 and 26. It has been noted that by this time dog 106 has engaged notch 34 between bag closures 20c and 20d, and the bag closure strip moves upwardly along with the applicator 10. As the bag closures move upwardly, the outer end of bag closure 20c strikes the dog 54 in the upper end of post 34 and swings it to the position shown at 58 so that the bag closure passes beyond the dog 54. The dog then assumes its rest position as illustrated in FIG. 2. In this manner, the bag closures are positively indexed upwardly to a position that they are ready for the next operative cycle of the applicator l0, and they assume the position illustrated in FIG. 2 except that now bag closure 20b is in the place of bag closure 20a, bag closure 20c is in the place of bag closure 20b, etc.

It will be noted that the trip lever 78 must pass the pin 100 as the body of applicator 10 returns to its rest position. To accommodate this, the spring permits the trip lever 78 and lug 76 to swing clockwise about pin 84 until the trip lever 78 passes pin in the opposite direction to that as discussed above. However, since the applicator is returning to its rest position, with the next adjacent bag closure 20b in the place of bag closure 20a as noted, and as shown in FIG. 2, clockwise motion of the cutter 86 into slot 118 will not cut the link 34 since it has already been cut, and the preceeding bag closure 20a removed from the applicator 10.

It will also be noted that in the event there is an impact transmitted through bag closure 20b as link 32 is cut between it and bag closure 20a as shown in FIG. 3, that impact is readily absorbed by the ridge 72 without relative sideways motion of the bag closure within the applicator. It will also be noted that the downward or lower limit of motion of the applicator 10 towards the support standards 16 and 18 is defined by the interference of pin 102 in post 46 with the land 64. Alternatively, the downward limit of motion of the applicator 10 towards standards 16 and 18 could be determined by properly dimensioning a stop bolt 122 which may conveniently be placed in the upper surface of standard 18. Similarly, stop means 124 may be provided in area 60 beneath face 36 as illustrated to prevent damage or otherwise to the upper edge of the trip lever 78.

The stop bolt 122 may also be replaced by an actuator button for an impact printer which can conveniently be mounted below the applicator 10. The actuator button may be compressibly urged upwardly to a position such that the bottom of the applicator 10 strikes the actuator bottom during downward motion thereof towards the support standards 16 and 18, and thereby causes the printer to strike the tab end of a bag closure suitably positioned beneath the applicator 10, and thus imprinting price, stack or other desired information thereon.

In the event that a jam of bag closures 20 occurs within the applicator 10, or a faulty bag closure enters the applicator, it is merely necessary to insert a sharp instrument such as a screwdriver or pencil through slot 74 to engage the bag closures and to force them upwardly through the applicator and out slot until the jam or faulty bag closure is clear. This is readily accommodated due to the swinging action of each of dogs 54 and 106; and when sufficient bag closures have been removed from the applicator to eliminate the trouble, the operator needs only to push downwardly on the applicator to trip the cutting action of cutter 86 against the link 32 in place beneath it, and the then released bag closure may be removed by quickly snapping it so as to break link 30 and place the applicator in its ready condition as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. It is obvious that the bag closures 20 cannot be pulled downwardly out of the applicator because of the locking action of dog 106 in notch 34 against a movement of the strip of bag closures relatively downwards with respect to the applicator 10.

The shell halves l2 and 14 of the applicator 10 may conveniently be bolted together, or held together by rivets or other means. The material from which the applicator 10 may be manufactured may include metals such as aluminum, brass, steel, stainless steel or other suitable metals, and may also include plastic such as polystyrene, polyurethene, polypropylene, acrilonytrile butadiene styrene, and others. The parts of the applicator may be moulded, machined or a combination thereof.

It is obvious that either of springs and 26 may be omitted without materially efiecting the operation of the applicator for bag closures described above. Other changes and modifications may also be made, such as the elimination of sawtooth edge 116; the installation of pin or other means on post 44 as stop means; and the substitution of compression spring 112 by a flat spring suitably mounted so as to urge the dog 106 forward into the channel 68 as previously discussed. Also, the sawtooth edge 116 may be replaced by a V-shaped portion of the groove 120 in the area whereat the sawtooth edge 116 is installed, the dimensions of the V-shaped portion of groove 120 being such that the loop end of a bag closure may frictionally engage the groove as it moves away from channel 68, thereby imparting to the bag closure a rotating motion around the gathered bag neck in the same manner as discussed above.

We claim:

1. A machine for applying substantially planar bag closures to bag necks, each of said closures having at one end a curled portion defining a bag-receiving opening with an entry slit and a handle portion adjacent a second end, said machine characterized in comprising:

means for feeding a bag closure into a bag-applying station in a bag travel path;

guide means for guiding a bag neck along said travel path;

and means for causing said closure to revolve relative to said bag neck and be applied thereto upon passage of said bag neck through said bag-applying station.

2. A machine for applying bag closures as claimed in claim 1 wherein said each of said closures is secured to an adjacent closure to provide a strip of said closures characterized in that said machine further includes:

indexing means for advancing a bag closure into said bagapplying station in response to the application of a prior adjacent closure to a bag neck.

3. A machine for applying bag closures as claimed in claim 2 including means responsive to the passage of a bag neck along said travel path for parting a closure in said bag-applying station from an adjacent closure.

4. A machine for applying bag closures as claimed in claim 3 wherein said means for parting said closures one from another includes cutting means.

5. A machine for applying bag closures as claimed in claim 3 wherein said means for parting said closures one from another includes means posterior to said bag-applying station to cause a bag closure to be rotated.

6. A machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein said guide means comprises at least one surface extending through said bag-applying station.

7. A machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein said guide means includes a surface movable from a first rest position to a second guiding position in response to movement of a bag neck thereover.

8. A machine as claimed in claim 7 including severing means responsive to movement of said surface from said first rest position to said second position to partially sever a first bag closure in a bag-applying position from an adjacent succeeding closure. 

1. A machine for applying substantiallY planar bag closures to bag necks, each of said closures having at one end a curled portion defining a bag-receiving opening with an entry slit and a handle portion adjacent a second end, said machine characterized in comprising: means for feeding a bag closure into a bag-applying station in a bag travel path; guide means for guiding a bag neck along said travel path; and means for causing said closure to revolve relative to said bag neck and be applied thereto upon passage of said bag neck through said bag-applying station.
 2. A machine for applying bag closures as claimed in claim 1 wherein said each of said closures is secured to an adjacent closure to provide a strip of said closures characterized in that said machine further includes: indexing means for advancing a bag closure into said bag-applying station in response to the application of a prior adjacent closure to a bag neck.
 3. A machine for applying bag closures as claimed in claim 2 including means responsive to the passage of a bag neck along said travel path for parting a closure in said bag-applying station from an adjacent closure.
 4. A machine for applying bag closures as claimed in claim 3 wherein said means for parting said closures one from another includes cutting means.
 5. A machine for applying bag closures as claimed in claim 3 wherein said means for parting said closures one from another includes means posterior to said bag-applying station to cause a bag closure to be rotated.
 6. A machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein said guide means comprises at least one surface extending through said bag-applying station.
 7. A machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein said guide means includes a surface movable from a first rest position to a second guiding position in response to movement of a bag neck thereover.
 8. A machine as claimed in claim 7 including severing means responsive to movement of said surface from said first rest position to said second position to partially sever a first bag closure in a bag-applying position from an adjacent succeeding closure. 